WCT Tourism Placemaking ( poster )

Abstract

Background The lack of urban identity that afflicts many cities impacts the way citizens perceive their surrounds. That is detected by city tourism, which selects walkable destinations from which visitors return laden with experiences. Tourist routes are designed around considerations such as the city scape, walking convenience and the location of landmarks, accommodations, bus stops, cruise piers and train stations. Aim WCT (Walkability City Tool) is a GIS-based method for analyzing walkability that parameterizes, measures and interprets the pedestrian network from the technical, environmental, social, tourist and economic perspectives to find ways to improve them. Method WCTtp compiles information on the many factors that affect walkability in general and tourist walkability in particular, including accessibility, lighting, urban furniture, activities, safety and way-finding. All of them are geo-referenced, enhancing the value of the walkable layer of infrastructure: sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. Walkability scores, especially from the tourist’s standpoint, are assigned to sidewalks, section-by-section, and all crossings. Results The walkable network data delivered by WCT can be used to strategically plan and sustainably manage tourist destinations, factoring in items such as: Route design; Tourist service sites; Tourism carrying capacity, and; Investment and infrastructure. WCTtp technology conducts multi-origin and multi-destination calculations to analyze tourist flows and plan action with a view to improving the tourist experience, controlling tourism carrying capacity, both physically and socially speaking, and favoring the inclusion of specific landmarks in tourist routes. Conclusions In multi-faceted citizen-visitor relations, encounters on public sidewalks indisputably hold the greatest potential as well the greatest risk. Tourism and urban planning go hand-in-hand in WCTtp technology in support of decision-making to improve the city stroll experience for residents and visitors alike.